Search This Blog

LIGO MIT's Nergis Mavalvala Elected to National Academy of Sciences

LIGO scientist is among NAS's honorees.

National Academy of Sciences has announced a roster of 84 newly elected members and 21 foreign associates, noting that the honor was made "in recognition of their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research."

Among the new members is LIGO MIT's Nergis Mavalvala, Professor of Astrophysics and Associate Department Head of Physics at MIT, and one of the leading LIGO scientists. Prof Mavalvala is a MacArthur fellow, and in 2010 was awarded the MacArthur "Genius" Grant. Prof Mavalvala's research focuses on the detection of gravitational waves and quantum measurement science, as well as on experimental work on squeezed light.

Also among the NAS honorees is Prof Gabriela González (Louisiana State University), the Spokesperson (2011-2017) of the LIGO Scientific Collaboration (LSC) and a fellow LSC member.

LIGO Laboratory is the U.S. national facility for gravitational-wave research. The first detections of gravitational waves by LIGO in 2015 haveopened the field of gravitational-wave physics and astronomy. Funded by the National Science Foundation, LIGO Laboratory's mission is to observe gravitational-wave sources, to operate the LIGO Hanford and Livingston Observatories in support of national and international scientific community,to carry out research and development for future gravitational-wave detectors, and to carry out scientific education and public outreach related to gravitational wave astronomy.